Rio Takeda of Japan won the LPGA's Toto Japan Classic on Sunday in a playoff that lasted six sudden-death holes, defeating Marina Alex of the United States, while Leona Maguire's frustrating season ended with a final-round 76 that gave her the same place 70.

Maguire failed to record a single birdie in her final round and finished at +1 after opening with a three-under 69 in a tournament that was reduced to 54 holes after Saturday's warming as a result of Tropical Storm Kong -Rey turned out to be a bust.

But it was all about the top of the leaderboard, and the relatively unheralded Japanese native Hana Wakimoto was hoping for a lights-to-flag victory that would be her first on either the LPGA or the LPGA Japan Tours, joining several other Japanese players in the running Atmosphere approached fever level.

It wouldn't quite work out for Wakimoto, who shot a one-over 73 to finish three shots off the pace, but when Alex made a birdie putt on the 15th to take a three-shot lead over Takeda, it looked that way As if the title were there, we head back west.

But Takeda, who won seven times on the LPGA Japan Tour in 2024, had other ideas and played an eagle on the par-5 16th.

It wouldn't last quite as long as the nine holes that took Julien Guerrier and Jorge Campillo's playoffs on the DP World Tour two weeks ago, but on the sixth occasion Takeda beat Alex on the 18th hole and Alex birdied a four-and-a-half. Par-5 and a home winner was crowned.

“It was my first playoff game, so I didn't expect the game to last so long, but I managed to win, so I'm really happy,” Takeda said afterwards.

“So this week I got my eighth win and that surprises me, but I still have three more tournaments to go in Japan so I have to steel myself and just try to end my year in a great way.” ”

She also earned a LPGA Tour card for 2025 in the process, but needs a little time to get used to it before making any decisions about whether to leave her homeland and move to the United States next year.

“I’m still thinking about how I can compete on the US LPGA Tour,” she signed off.

Haeran Ryu of South Korea was one stroke behind with a 66 after regulation time. She finished at 14-under 202.

The Japan tournament marks the conclusion of a four-event Asian swing on the LPGA Tour, which also included events in China, South Korea and Malaysia.

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